The Netherlands: Flag & Coat of Arms

Flag

The flag of the Netherlands was officially adopted on February 19, 1937.

At one time the tricolor flag was orange, white and blue, because those were the colors of William of Orange, a Dutch prince. In the 17th century, red replaced the orange as a flag color because the orange dye used on the flag was unstable and turned red after exposure to the sun. For this reason, the current colors are red, white, and blue.

Coat of Arms

The Dutch coat of arms has the symbols of the Dutch royal family. The motto, “I shall maintain” is written in French. (The French occupied the Netherlands in the 17th century.) The gold lion in the middle holds a silver Roman sword in his right paw and a seven gold-tipped silver arrows in his left hand. The sword and arrows represent strength in unity.